THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
In an interesting development, Goa Forward Party mentor, MLA Vijai Sardesai on Friday said talks are underway with the Congress high command on forming a grand alliance to jointly fight the 2017 Assembly polls.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Luizinho Faleiro, however, said whether there will be a mahagathbandhan or a gathbandhan will be decided by the Pradesh Congress Committee only after September 30 after the process of selection of party candidates is completed.
“Yes, some talks are going on at the moment. There’s been Man ki baat with the Congress. Kam ki baat has not started”, Sardesai told the media on Friday, while underscoring the need for unity of all non-BJP forces with a Common Minimum Programme to oust the BJP from office.
He said GFP cannot discount the Congress in respect of the grand alliance of political parties to keep the BJP at bay in the 2017 Assembly election. Sardesai’s comments assume significance and come against the backdrop of recent statement by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh, stating that the Congress will be open for an alliance with the Goa Forward Party if an offer comes from the party.
When The Goan called up the GPCC Chief Luizinho Faleiro to shed light on Sardesai’s claims that talks are underway with the party high command to form the mahagathbandhan of secular forces to fight the 2017 Assembly election, he only said the Pradesh Congress Committee will take a call whether to form the mahagathbandhan or gathbandhan after September 30. “This decision was not mine but was taken by the Co-ordination Committee and Digvijaya is aware of this. After September 30, let the Pradesh Congress Committee discuss and decide whether to have a mahagathbandhan or a gathbandhan”, Faleiro said, while evading a direct reply to Sardesai’s statement that the Goa Forward Party has started talks with Congress high command.
